Undergrad Institution: Medium-sized Flagship State SchoolMajor(s): ChemistryMinor(s):GPA in Major: 3.67Overall GPA: 3.81
Position in Class: School doesn't release this as far as I'm awareType of Student: Domestic MaleGRE Scores (revised/old version):Q: 158 (68%)V: 161 (88%)W: 4.0 (59%)S: 790 (78%)Research Experience: Have been with the same research advisor since the end of my freshman year working with SWNT surfactant systems and characterizing them with various forms of spectroscopy. Also worked with organic synthesis for a good amount of this timeAwards/Honors/Recognitions: Received an institutional grant for summer research during 2017, deans list for 5 semesters.Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Intro to molecular bio tutor since my sophomore year, paid "supplemental instructor" for gen chem 1 & 2 since the same time.Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help:Special Bonus Points: Any Other Info That Shows Up On Your App and Might Matter: I'm expecting a glowing letter of rec for the professor I tutor for, as we have a pretty good relationship. Advisor's is good but not great because I never really needed advising and therefore never really developed a relationship with him, and my PI had me write my own letter of rec before sitting down and editing it with me to his liking, so I know it's filled with pretty high praiseApplying to Where: All schools are for materials science unless noted otherwise
Colorado Boulder (by far my number 1 before visits, for research and location)
Princeton
Yale
Cornell - Physical Chemistry
Johns Hopkins
Boston College
RPI

That's a relief to hear! Thank you for the advice, I'll definitely keep an open mind headed into the upper level courses in the coming years and not let myself get pinholed into a field I decided upon too early.

Hello, new on the forums here and I'm currently a sophomore hoping to enter an organic chemistry Ph. D. program in 2019. Currently, I'm performing research with a group focused on organic materials; specifically carbon nanotubes. In our lab we synthesize molecules that self-assemble around the carbon nanotubes, so it requires a decent amount of organic work. However, none of it is really organic research per se, we're just cooking and purifying from what I can tell. I think the older undergrad who is graduating this year is working on organic work, but she comes in at different times than me and I don't see her outside of group meetings to ask her. Granted, I'm only in the lab about 6 hours a week due to schedule conflicts so I can't really tell you if we do have to do more research into our methods, but the bottom line is we likely aren't going to be publishing anything about our methodology or syntheses. Should I be worried about how adcoms will see this research when I apply? Should I search for a more organic-based lab or stick it out with this one and stress to my PI that I would like to focus in organic work?